1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographic light-sensitive material containing an organic material which does not cause environmental pollution during production or processing of the photographic light-sensitive material or when the photographic material is discarded after processing. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photographic light-sensitive material containing a photographic additive dispersed using a specific benzoic ester.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a photographic additive, for example, an oil-soluble coupler, a color stain preventing agent or an antioxidant (such as an alkylhydroquinone, an alkylphenol, a chroman, a cumarone, etc.), a hardening agent, an oil-soluble filter dye, an oil-soluble ultraviolet absorbing agent, a DIR compound (such as a DIR hydroquinone, a non-color forming DIR compound, etc.), a developing agent, a dye developing agent, a DDR redox compound, a DDR coupler, and the like is dissolved in an appropriate organic solvent having a high boiling point, dispersed in an aqueous solution of a hydrophilic organic colloid, particularly gelatin, in the presence of a surface active agent, and the resulting mixture is incorporated in a hydrophilic organic colloid layer, for example, a light-sensitive emulsion layer, a filter layer, a backing layer, an antihalation layer, an intermediate layer, a protective layer, and the like. Since such photographic additives are water-insoluble and hydrophobic, they cannot be incorporated into a hydrophilic organic colloid layer without the aid of organic solvent. In such a case, a phthalic acid ester and a phosphoric acid ester are particularly useful as the high boiling point organic solvent.
Nowadays, these types of solvents are used in producing most color photographic high-sensitive materials as solvents for an oil-soluble incorporated type coupler. These solvents are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,332,027; 2,533,514 and 3,287,134, German Pat. No. 1,152,610 and British Pat. No. 1,272,561, etc. The high boiling point organic solvents of the phthalic acid ester and the phosphoric acid ester type are considered to be the most excellent compounds of the known high boiling point organic solvents with respect to dispersion capability for couplers, affinity to a gelatin colloid layer, influence on the stability of a color image formed, influence on the hue of a color image formed, chemical stability in a photographic light-sensitive materials, low price, and the like.
In the incorporated type color photographic light-sensitive material, an antioxidant is used alone or in combination with a coupler or other additives for the purpose of preventing color mixing due to diffusion of an oxidation product of a color developing agent, improving image quality by using a DIR-hydroquinone, preventing the formation of fog during color development, preventing the formation of stain, improving the stability of the color image formed, and the like. Most of these antioxidants are dispersed in a hydrophilic colloid using a phthalic acid ester or a phosphoric acid ester as a solvent. These solvents which can be used for dispersing the antioxidant also have excellent properties, for example, good dispersion capability for an antioxidant, they promote the reaction of an oxidation product of a color developing agent with an antioxidant, improve chemical stability of the antioxidant per se during storage, and the like.
In the incorporated type color photographic light-sensitive material and the black and white photographic light-sensitive material, a filter dye absorbing a specific region of visible light, an ultraviolet absorbing agent and a fluorescent brightning agent are incorporated for the purpose of improving color reproduction, improving image sharpness, and stabilizing the color image formed. For the filter dye, the ultraviolet absorbing agent and the fluorescent brightening agent, a phthalic acid ester and a phosphoric acid ester are often used as solvents.
Phthalic acid esters and phosphoric acid esters do not have any harmful effects on the body even in contact therewith or cause environmental pollution if they are contained in a photographic light-sensitive material. However, there is the danger that they can cause environmental pollution during the production and processing of the photographic light-sensitive material or when the photographic material is discarded after processing.
Also, an N-dialkyl substituted alkylamide compound as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 21766/1968 can be used as a solvent for dispersing a filter dye in a hydrophilic colloid, but it has the drawback that a noxious residual odor remains.
Further, it is also known that a biphenyl derivative can be used as a high boiling point organic solvent as described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application (Laid Open) No. 14322/1973. However, the biphenyl derivative cannot be employed as it causes environmental pollution.